Theomythology as a Framework for Biblical-Theological Preaching
Story matters. It may be the most powerful way God communicates to his people in the scriptures, yet many modern preachers engage the Bible exegetically, searching for propositional truths about God. This is how seminaries classically teach hermeneutics–the careful parsing of grammar to derive surface-level meaning. Yet, the way a preacher engages the story exegetically and how it is presented homiletically will affect its response. Theomythology, to be defined herein, provides a framework for narrative analysis in the context of biblical theology for preaching biblical-theological messages to theopathically engage listeners. Terms must first be defined before theomythology can be analyzed in the context of biblical theology. Further, biblical theology's place in preaching must be addressed before comparing the teaching and doing of theology.
THE DIVINE IDENTITY OF JESUS AS YAHWEH IN THE SCRIPTURES AND SECOND TEMPLE JEWISH THOUGHT
The divine identity of Jesus as Yahweh is evident in the New Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. The New Testament presents Jesus not only as the Messiah but also as Yahweh incarnate, demonstrated through His divine roles, such as creator and forgiver of sins. The concept of the "Two Powers in Heaven" from early Jewish thought, which describes two divine figures sharing authority, aligns with early Christian views of Jesus. Additionally, some Jewish groups during the Second Temple period held expectations of a divine Messiah, as seen in texts like 1 Enoch and the Psalms of Solomon, which depict the Messiah with divine attributes. These sources affirm that Jesus is portrayed as the incarnate Yahweh in both scriptural and Second Temple contexts.